In addition to an active freelance career in New York City, Surai is a dedicated violin and viola teacher. Her students range from young beginners to active professionals. Her students have continued on to study at NYU, Manhattan School of Music, Princeton, University of Michigan, to name a few. She teaches students virtually in Europe and Australia.
Surai is a Suzuki trained teacher and Level I certified Orff Schulwerk teacher. She has extensive training in BrainGym, The Alexander Technique, and Dalcroze Eurhythmics. She has taught at Penn State University, the Virginia Commonwealth University Community School for the Performing Arts, Hoff Barthelson Music School, and at the New York Summer Music Festival. She is currently on the faculty at the Manhattan School of Music Precollege Division and Silver Music.
Surai began her musical training in Amman, Jordan under patronage of Her Majesty Queen Noor Al Hussein. She holds a B.M. in violin performance from Pennsylvania State University, a Professional Studies Diploma in viola from Mannes College of Music, and a Master of Arts from New York University. Her teachers have included Karen Ritscher, Martha Katz, Pedro de Alcantara, and Weigang Li.
If you’re interested in studying with Surai, please fill out the form on the Contact page.
Testimonials
Surai is a great teacher and a lovely and interesting person. I’ve noticed that she has a wonderful attitude toward her child students – using imaginative teaching techniques and never talking down to them. As she might say: ‘you have to know how to get those puppies motivated.
Adult student
Thank you for being such an amazing teacher to [my daughter.] I truly appreciate how much you care and believe in your students! I could not be more happy.
Parent of 6 yr old violin student
My daughter adores Surai and feels she could have no better viola teacher. When I asked how she felt about her lessons, she said, “Surai is strict but so kind. She really pushes you to do the best you possibly can, but still being nice. She is such a good person.” My daughter has also told me more than once she feels Surai is an amazing violist and the best teacher she has worked with during these last six years since she began playing viola. In addition to being her teacher, Surai has also been a great mentor. It is wonderful, and rare, to have your daughter find both a great teacher and also supportive friend on whom she can rely and learn so much from. We are very, very lucky!!
Parent of a 14 yr old student
Hey Surai! So I am taking a course at school and my professor gave the class an assignment where we had to contact one of our past mentors. I decided to contact you. This past summer, I picked up viola after never having played it before and absolutely fell in love. I thank your class at NYSMF for that. You made the viola extremely accessible for me and made me excited about learning it. And because of that, I will be playing viola in my University’s orchestra this semester. Also, after coming home from New York, I immediately ordered two brain gym books and have dived face and eyes into the concept.
No matter what, you instilled a sense of excitement and passion in me and I feel that I came home with more than I had before.
I wanted to thank you for that. I hope you have a fantastic year and that we cross paths again sometime.
Violin/viola student, 22 yr old